My Phantom
by The Cursed Shadow
Summary: A dangerous game of seduction that only one can win. Will Elena choose Stefan in the end? Or will she surrender to the darkness?
1. Chapter 1

Elena's feet carried her quickly up the stairs, not using the supernatural speed she had recently acquired. Her escape from Stefan, her love, had been failing. The tightening in her chest conveyed her anxiety, and she placed a hand above her non-beating heart, attempting to calm herself down.

"Elena," she heard Stefan call from the doorway, she longed to run to him. She longed to embrace him and remind him of how she felt, but she could not.

"Please, Elena," he begged, lowering himself to his knees in front of her, "Go to dinner with me tomorrow."

"Stefan," the brunette sighed out, willing herself to remain stoic, "I can't."

"One night, Elena," he pleaded, and she felt his eyes boring into her own, as if he could uncover all the things she dared to hide. "I promise I will make it perfect."

She tapped her fingers against each other, staring at the glowing clock on her nightstand. Breathing suddenly became impossible, as if her lungs wouldn't cooperate. If her heart could still beat she knew it would have stopped, for her chest felt ready to explode.

"Please," she whispered, "I need to be alone."

"I will leave you when you agree to dinner with me," he persisted.

"All right," she finally agreed, "I will go with you, Stefan. Now please, I need you to leave me be."

She spun around and turned with her back to her love. Her hand grasped the wooden edge of her desk to keep steady. His fingers softly caressed her cheek before his lips replaced them. The moments they had together when they had first met excited her and intrigued her. Now it took all of her resolve not to flinch away from him.

"Goodnight, Elena," he whispered gently into her ear, and she was almost certain he heard her gulp. If he had heard he did not say anything to her.

Elena did not turn to face the doorway as she heard his footsteps slowly walk down the stairs. The door shut quietly, but with her vampire sense of hearing she could easily perceive the sound of the click of the door's lock.

She finally let out a breath, unaware she had been holding it. Quickly she walked to the door of her room and slammed it shut, her eyes scanning every corner of the small space. Nothing seemed out of place. Her books were in order on her worn and dusted bookshelf. Her comfortable bed seemed to be untouched, and everything was as it should have been.

She felt a gentle hand on her waist and shuddered when she felt another on the bare skin of her arm. The hands were cold, cold enough to make the room seem as if temperature had dropped to the point of fear. Elena found herself leaning towards the unknown person, but she could feel the warm cloak they wore against her shoulder blades.

"Ignorant fool, basking in your glory, sharing in _my_ triumph," the voice whispered against her ear, sending shivers down Elena's spine as they emphasized their possession over her.

"My Angel," Elena sighed, leaning against the woman's cold skin behind her. The grip of the delicate cold hands tightened.

The realization dawned upon the young vampire. Her Angel had seen the exchange with Stefan. She shook her head, ashamed to have even been with him.

"Angel, my soul was weak," Elena told the woman behind her, "Stay with me. Guide me. Forgive me."

She turned to the woman. Her dark brown curls cascaded down her shoulders. The cape-like cloak she wore was black, as was the rest of her clothing. The one thing about this woman that could possibly phase Elena's desire for her was the mask that covered the right half of her beautiful face, only leaving her brown eye to be seen.

As Elena stared into the eyes of her Angel it seemed to be she was staring into a mirror. A mirror filled with the longings she had wished for. A beauty radiated from the woman, as if she was born to seduce, as she had seduced Elena. When her Angel had first appeared Elena had fought the trance, but no, so many times of her Angel coming to see her she had decided to enter the trance, and allow herself to be taken by her beauty.

The young vampire slowly reached out to touch the mask, but a cold hand stopped her. She stared longingly into the twin brown eyes of her Angel, who still held her hand. In an instant the woman had twirled her, as if in a dance, and pulled Elena's back against her once again.

Elena leaned into the woman's hold, longing for her to continue to embrace her for eternity. She felt cold lips placed more delicately than a feather to her neck. More shivers made their way through her spine as the gentle lips pulled away. The girl felt the woman's chilled fingers softly against her cheek.

She closed her eyes at the touch. This woman, her Angel, had coerced her to feel what she had never felt before. The caress had been more delicate than Stefan's, and had made her long for more. It had not caused her to flinch as Stefan's did, and it did not take her will to flinch away, but to stop herself from taking more.

"Are you ready to surrender?" her Angel whispered into her ear, her voice so pleasing to Elena's ear it nearly caused her knees to go from underneath her.

The girl nodded frantically, "Yes," she replied, wishing to hear her Angel's beautiful voice once more.

The moment Elena opened her eyes she found herself in unfamiliar territory, but the arms of her Angel were still gently wrapped around her. Elena sighed as the arms pulled away, longing for the woman's touch. The girl's eyes glanced at the scenery. The shadows of the large trees loomed over her head, with the nearly fool moon and the stars hidden by their dark branches.

"I've brought you something," the woman said, walking in front of Elena and gesturing to the trees.

A young, muscular man walked hypnotically into her sight. He stood and faced her, his eyes not moving as they stared straight ahead. His face held no emotion, as if he were being held in a trance. He was trapped by the woman's compulsion.

Elena couldn't help the giggle that escaped her lips, "You've brought me a man," she noted with a smile, "When you know I only long for you."

She saw the smirk tug at the corner of the woman's lip as she walked over. The girl longed to feel her cold embrace once more, but was patient, and remained still as the woman walked to behind her. Elena felt her hair being brushed from her shoulder, and as cold hands brushed against her skin for mere seconds Elena was certain she had achieved bliss.

"Think of him as a gift," her Angel whispered alluringly into her ear.

"What should I do with him?" the girl asked, eager to hear her Angel's voice again.

Elena's mind flowed with possibilities that her Angel could possibly give her, but the girl had a feeling she knew what the woman would say. It was strange, for the dark beauty had always forced her to hunt for her prey, and had never simply given one to her before.

"Can you not hear his heart beating as a drum for you?" the dark temptress breathed into her ear.

Elena nodded silently, about to respond when one of the woman's fingers ran against the once flowing artery in her neck. The touch sent butterflies into Elena's stomach and shivers up and down her spine. She longed for moments like this with Stefan, but only her Angel was able to make her feel like she was.

"Can you not hear the blood rushing through him? His heart is yours to stop. His blood is yours to take."

"Truly?" Elena asked, turning to look at the face of her beautiful Angel.

"I would bring you nothing that does not belong to you," the woman answered, removing her hands from Elena and standing back.

Elena's tongue ran over the edges of her supernatural canines. Unable to wait a single moment longer, and eager to impress her Angel, she sped to the man and sunk her fangs deeply into his flesh. The artery throbbed erratically as the blood spilled into her mouth.

With every swallow Elena felt power, more power than she had ever dreamt of having as a human. As the human's life slipped away she swallowed the last bit of blood in his system. Her hands traveled to the base of his neck, and she ran her hands delicately on the nape of his neck. With a loud snap the life of the human was taken as the bones in his neck shattered.

She turned to her Angel, and smiled as she saw the look of pride glittering in the woman's beautiful brown eyes. Her breath caught in her throat as the woman sauntered towards her. She sank into the touch of her Angel as the cold hand held her cheek.

"Quite the mess you have made, my Angel," the woman said, using her thumb to wipe the blood that trickled down from her lip. The dark temptress brought her thumb to her mouth, swallowing the blood slowly and allowing the blood to rush to her eyes. The whites of the woman's eyes turned red, and Elena dared to place her hand against the cheek of the woman's that was not covered by the mask.

"Why must you hide from me?" Elena asked, touching the white mask, but removing her hand, knowing it disliked by her Angel.

"Soon you shall know me," her Angel responded, "Soon you shall see why in the shadows I hide."

"My Angel," Elena said, removing her hands from the woman's face, "My guide and my guardian, grant to me your glory."

"And what glory to you wish to receive?"

"Your name," the girl replied.

"Will that please you?" the woman asked, curious to the young one's reasoning.

"More than anything," Elena told her, "I know so little of you, of who you are, your name will bring me slight peace of mind."

"A name is but a piece of information," the woman teased, "a collection of letters chosen by those who created you."

"Please," Elena begged, "my name passes so angelically from your lips, I wish to give you the same pleasure by calling your name as you give me when you utter mine."

The woman leaned forward, as if to kiss the young girl but stopped short. Elena groaned out of longing and disappointment. Nothing would please her more than a kiss from her Angel. A glimmer of mischief passed through the dark temptress' eyes as she chuckled in amusement. Elena's desire for a kiss only grew stronger as the cold lips grazed against her own.

"Katherine," the woman whispered, barely audible to Elena's ears. Her lips grazed Elena's once again as she spoke.

Elena's smile spread to her cheeks as she stared into Katherine's eyes. Katherine, her Angel, had a name to match her stunning beauty. The woman placed a kiss on Elena's cheek, caressing her jaw line with her frigid fingers.

"Katherine," Elena moaned into the darkness of the forest.

The dark temptress chuckled as she moved her lips from Elena's skin. Elena sighed, trying to bring herself closer to Katherine.

"I do rather like the sound of that," Katherine said, staring into Elena's brown eyes, identical to her own.

"Katherine," Elena moaned again, smirking as her Angel looked down on her, seduction swimming in her eyes.

Elena's legs became suddenly weak as she held on to the woman for support. Katherine's laugh rang through her ears as black spots began to dance in her vision. The girl attempted to stand, but her legs were far too weak. She felt Katherine's cold arms lay her gently on the forest floor. She closed her eyes, unable to keep them open.

Katherine's cold lips pressed against her forehead, "Rest, dear Elena. Tomorrow I will return to you, for I am your Angel, but I am also your phantom."


	2. What if?

Elena sat at the table, eating the food her love had so chivalrously bought for her. He had used real money, human money, such an unnecessary object for a vampire. Money, in truth, was worth nothing. Simple pieces of paper assigned to be a country's currency. The girl wanted to scoff at the idea, but in order to not disappoint Stefan she continued to eat.

"Why must we do this?" she asked politely.

"Do what?" Stefan replied, "Eat?"

"We are not human, Stefan," Elena whispered, trying to keep others from eavesdropping, "We have no need for this. There is no reason to be here right now. We could leave and find someone to eat."

"Elena, why are you talking like this?" he asked, his eyebrow raised quizzically, "You would never harm a human. We are doing this because I love you, and I want you to remember the times we had while human."

"It is too sentimental, Stefan," Elena responded, "Why can't you see I'm happier this way? I'm happier as a vampire than I have ever been before."

"Don't say that, Elena," Stefan told her, gripping his fork hard enough to make his knuckles whiten. "We are searching for a way to make you human."

"I do not want to be human, Stefan!"

"Elena-"

"I have to use the restroom, Stefan. I'll be back," Elena said as she stood quickly from the table, eager to escape the accusatory eyes of her love.

The girl rushed into the ladies' room, locking the door behind her. She winced; her mind told her to love him, that it was safe to love him. She tried to listen, oh how she tried, but it was too hard. Elena couldn't find what had been there once before. She could no longer escape the crushing feeling of being trapped when around him.

She wanted to feel the old flame, to feel the inferno in her heart that burned only for him. Whenever she tried to start the flame, it dissipated as quickly as she had created it. There was nothing for him. She felt nothing for him. It was almost as if she felt pity on him, a pity that could only be bestowed upon by one whom had once loved.

Her hands grasped the edge of the porcelain sink, trying to keep herself steady. What could she do? She could not walk away from him. He would assume she was seeing another man, when in truth she was not. The truth, she loved an Angel: Katherine.

There was no one in comparison to her Angel. No one could make her feel the way Katherine did. The flame she one felt for Stefan was nothing in resemblance of them. Stefan had made her feel safe, and it had been what she needed at that time. Elena no longer needed to feel safe.

The girl needed to feel afraid, she had stared fear in the eye and run, but this was different. Elena had willingly stared into the brown eyes of the dark temptress, and there was no returning to who she had once been. Her Angel radiated seduction and darkness with every movement she made, every breath she took. There was no denying the woman's beauty had entranced her, and taken hold of her.

Her eyes wandered into the mirror, staring at her own reflection. The sudden blur of the glass surprised her, and caused her to pull back in confusion. When she stared into the mirror once again she still saw her reflection, but also something else: a shadow over her right shoulder that haunted her with a seductive gaze.

The gasp that escaped her throat was inevitable as she turned to see nothing but the tiled wall behind her. She knew what she had seen, Katherine had been watching. Her Angel was always watching. Somehow the woman seemed to know everything, and be everywhere.

Elena's chest tightened. What would Katherine do? She knew the woman did not enjoy seeing her with Stefan, but it was inevitable. She feared what her friends and family would think if they ever knew about the beauty of her Angel. She feared what her Angel would do if she continued to see Stefan. What would become of him? Katherine had never shown Elena her rage, but by some means Elena knew the woman's rage would be deadly.

The girl jumped and fled to the corner as she heard the door of a bathroom stall open and close. She closed her eyes, dreading it would be her Angel, but also praying that she would appear.

"Elena?" she heard a voice call, but it was not the voice of her Angel. No, this voice was not divine enough to belong to the woman she both feared and desired.

The girl barely had the courage to open her eyes to see who was calling. She stared at the girl with blonde hair standing near the sinks. It could not have been her Angel, for her Angel was more beautiful, and certainly not blonde.

"Caroline," Elena managed to breathe out, fear possessing her body. Her breath rattled with each movement of her chest, and her hands shook out of anxiety.

The blonde knelt next to her friend. Elena trembled as the blonde put one arm around her shoulders and held her hands with her free one. The girl rested her head on her friend's shoulder.

"Elena," her friend said out of joy and concern, "Where in the world have you been hiding? I haven't seen you since… since you turned."

"I'm afraid," Elena admitted, her body still shivering with untold fear.

"Don't be afraid," Caroline comforted her friend, wondering what was wrong with the brunette in her arms. She wondered how the girl could be so afraid she was reduced to quivering in the bathroom.

The girl swallowed before speaking, "I used to dream an Angel would appear to me. Now I can sense her, and I know she is here. Here in this room she calls me softly. Somehow I know she's always here with me, somewhere inside, hiding."

"Elena, who is this Angel?" the blonde asked, desperate to get an answer from her fearful friend.

"She's here even now," Elena muttered, ignoring the question from the blonde.

Caroline stared at the brunette's hands, "Your hands, Elena, they're cold."

"All around me," Elena's eyes began to tear. She felt so much fear yet never dared to tell a soul. There was no one who could relieve her of the torment.

"Your face is white," Caroline noted, obviously concerned with Elena's condition.

"How can I not be?" Elena asked, letting the warm tear flow down her face. The heat of her pain gave her slight comfort, but there was not enough to stop the other tears from following the first.

"Elena," the blonde paused, "do you remember who turned you?"

"No," the girl said, but it was a lie, she could never forget.

_She watched as her Angel tossed the man's body aside, her brown eyes staring into the girl's, filled with pure lust. Elena could not help but marvel at the woman's beauty. All vampires she'd seen were attractive, but this woman was so different. Everything about her screamed enticement and darkness, but it was impossible for Elena to look away._

_ The woman strolled towards her slowly. The girl felt her breath catch in her throat when she felt the woman's cold hand on the skin of her neck, caressing the artery that allowed life to flow through her body. She heard the woman's chuckle from behind her, but she dared not to look. She feared her Angel, but loved her in every moment, in every time, in every second. _

_ "Tell me," the girl whispered to her Angel, "What is it like being a vampire?"_

_ Her Angel walked to stand in front of her, a smirk etched on her perfect lips. Curiosity gleamed in her chocolate eyes._

_ "Night-time sharpens, heightens each sensation. Darkness stirs and wakes imagination. Silently the senses abandon their defenses," the woman whispered, standing with her face bare centimeters away from Elena's._

_ Elena considered what she was about to say. It would change her forever, literally. Was she sure this was what she wanted? What should she say?_

_ "What if I were to become a vampire?" Elena asked timidly, curious and slightly afraid of the woman's reaction._

_ The woman reached a hand and stroked Elena's cheek gently. The temperature of her hands made the girl shiver, but Elena closed her eyes at the touch._

_ "Only then can you belong to me," her Angel whispered._

_ Elena opened her eyes and stared at the woman. For a moment she saw no seduction in her eyes. She saw the love she so desperately craved. The passion she secretly desired._

_ "Will you change me?" Elena asked, knowing her Angel would understand._

_ "Of course," the woman said, showing Elena a genuine smile formed out of love and affection._

_ Elena felt the dark temptress' hand leave her skin, and longed for another moment to be embraced by her Angel. Elena smiled, there would be so much she and her Angel could do. They would have eternity, but she realized there was one thing they had not done._

_ "Wait," the girl said, grabbing the woman's hand as she was bringing it up to her lips._

_ "Bite me," Elena said quickly, before the dark temptress could react, "Feed from me."_

_ The woman raised an eyebrow curiously at her, but Elena made the offer more tempting by tilting her neck to the side, allowing her Angel more room to feed. The girl sharply inhaled her breath as she felt the cold lips of the dark temptress on her neck, caressing the spot above her artery with a kiss._

_ Elena involuntarily winced as she felt the sharp fangs pierced her skin, delving into the sensitive skin of her neck. A sigh escaped her lips as she felt the frigid lips of her seductress brushing against her neck, sucking the blood that welled from the wounds she had created. Her hand pressed against the nape of the woman's neck as she pulled her as close as was possible._

_ The pain had turned to pleasure, enveloping her senses and forcing her to stop breathing. The lust she continued to feel was unbearable. She thirsted for her Angel's blood and longed to be with her for an eternity. The girl willed for the dark temptress to continue to give her the pleasure, but the fangs retreated from her skin and she stared at the beauty._

_ Her Angel's mouth was covered in blood, her blood. The crimson liquid left a stream down to the woman's chin, but it created the seduction that had lured Elena so far past the point of sanity she could only wonder how the woman seemed to make everything look so beautiful._

_ "Come," her seductress whispered as she raked her nail against her neck, allowing blood to trickle down for he girl._

_ Elena was hesitant at first, but she placed her lips on top of the blood and began to drink. It was heavenly, angelic, and divine. The girl had never tasted something so magnificent. It was as if ambrosia was gushing down her throat and the girl rushed to taste every last bit of it._

_ "So eager to join me for eternity," the woman said, running her fingers through the girl's hair then pulling her away from the streaming wound. _

_ The girl groaned in disappointment, but was silenced with a cold finger placed against her lips. She relished the touch of her Angel and was too lost in the pleasure to notice the dark temptress' hands moving to her neck. _

_ It all ended with a loud snap._

"I need to go," Elena said, forcing herself back into reality, not wanting to drown herself in the pain of her memories.

She stood and walked out of the restroom before she could hear complaints from Caroline. Stefan was waiting for her outside the door, which she realized by bumping into him and staggering several feet back.

"I deduced you were ready to go, considering how long you were occupied in the restroom," Stefan said, his voice lacking disappointment or accusation.

Elena raised her eyebrow in confusion, "Yes, I'm ready to leave. I don't want to be here anymore."

"All right," he told her compassionately, "We can leave."

The girl nodded, following him out of the restaurant. She shivered at the thought of the memory. She hadn't told anyone, not even him. Elena had thought of the consequences. She wasn't ready to tell the others of her Angel. The pressures of her love were too unbearable for her to share them with anyone else. She wanted no harm to come to her friends, and was uncertain of what they would think of Katherine.

Stefan pulled her to the back of the restaurant using supernatural speed once they had exited. He held her shoulders with his hands forcefully under the dimmed light of a streetlamp. Elena was confused. Her love had never been so cryptic; she wondered what exactly he was doing.

"What are you-" Stefan cut her off by pressing his lips assertively against hers.

Elena stood in shock, wondering if she should return the kiss or simply deny it. She could feel eyes boring into her back, and for a split second the temperature seemed to drop. The girl knew Katherine was watching, but from where, she couldn't tell.

She finally pulled away, but his hands were still on her shoulders, holding her in place.

"Do you feel anything?" he asked angrily, his grip tightening on her shoulders. Stefan's nails were puncturing her skin.

"Stefan," she said quietly, "let go, you're hurting me."

"Do you feel anything?" he practically yelled at her, pushing his hand down on her shoulder until he heard a snap.

The girl attempted to hide the cry of pain she released, but it was too late. She pushed away from him and glanced at her bleeding shoulder. The joint was dislocated and her clavicle was broken, the bone jutting out of her skin.

Before Stefan could react to what he had done, she quickly ran away, back to the safety of her home. The door slammed shut behind her, nearly flying off the hinges as she sped to her room. She looked into the mirror on her wall, staring at the pale bone that projected from her skin.

The girl winced and cried out again as she was spun around. She expected to see Stefan, and had raised her arm to attack him, but was stopped by a cold hand holding her wrist. Elena stared into the twin brown eyes of her Angel, which were full of concern as she watched them scan her for other injuries, making sure she was all right.

Katherine's eyes quickly turned from anxiety to rage as she gently placed a hand on the girl's injury. Elena flinched and whimpered, sinking into the dark temptress' touch as she felt the cold fingers caressing her cheek. The fingers turned her head to stare at her Angel, whose eyes now burned with more rage than she had ever seen on anyone before.

"I do not like others defiling what is mine."


	3. Shape In the Shadows

The girl turned over on her bed, with sleep releasing its dark hold over her. She grasped the sheets, relishing the feeling of silk on her skin. Silk? Her sheets were anything but silk. She sat up slowly and groggily, rubbing what little sleep that remained out of her eyes.

"I remember mist," she said, hoping speaking aloud would help her remember, "and a house in the woods. There were candles all around. Who was the shape in the shadows?"

She stood, missing the feeling of the silk against her skin. Elena started pacing, trying to figure out where she was. She was trying so hard she almost missed the most beautiful sound she had ever heard: the music of a piano. The alluring music danced it's way into her ear and made her swoon.

Elena walked towards the source of the music, letting the notes guide her footsteps and the melody enter her mind. It was as if she had gone into a hypnotic trance. It was placid and incredible, and the only thing that filled her mind was the music.

It caressed her and seduced her until she found herself in the doorway of a parlor. A wooden bar from centuries before stood against the right wall and her Angel sat, her fingers flying across the keys, playing the music without care. Elena could only see Katherine's back and hands, but the music she played conveyed every emotion Elena had never seen on her Angel's face.

The stroke of every key brought a new emotion. It began with joy, but changed to pain. Elena could hear so much pain in the music Katherine played. She couldn't understand what the pain was about, but she quickly pulled herself from the trance with an idea.

"Whose is the face in the mask?" she whispered to herself, desperate to receive the knowledge she craved.

She walked closer to the woman, her footsteps more silent than an owl's flight. The girl stood behind Katherine, wondering if she had the courage to do what she'd dreamed about for many nights. Before she could turn back, Elena grabbed the white mask in her hand and pulled it away from her Angel's face.

The music abruptly stopped as the woman stood from the piano and turned to face Elena, the mask no longer hiding her features. The girl gasped, staring at the woman whose face completely reflected her own. They were exactly alike, but as Elena stared into the brown eyes of her Angel she saw something: death.

Elena saw murders, many murders. She saw blood on the ground and for a moment she could swear she saw a skeletal hand reaching out to her, welcoming her into hell. The girl dropped the mask on the ground, staring at Katherine's back as the woman turned away. She backed away, and trembled with fear.

"Curse you!" Katherine yelled, keeping her head turned away from the girl, "You little prying Pandora!"

"I'm sorry," Elena swiftly apologized, trying to assuage the woman's anger.

"Is this what you wanted to see?" her Angel asked, turning to face her again, but Elena couldn't handle it. She couldn't handle the visions that came by staring into Katherine's eyes. The girl turned away, forcing herself to face the corner.

"Can you even dare to look?" Katherine growled, "Or bear to think of me?"

The girl heard her Angel pick the mask off of the ground and reattach it to her face, but she refused to face her. Elena refused to stare into those cold eyes. She refused to gaze into death's realm. There was nothing in the world that brought her more fear.

She felt cold fingers caress her cheek, and as much as she didn't want to see into her eyes, she turned to face her Angel. The white mask covered her beautiful features again, and when Elena looked into her eyes she only saw love. There was no seduction, no lust, just love.

"Come, we must return," the woman said, "Those fools you call friends will be missing you."

Caroline heard Stefan open the door to Elena's house before she saw him. The blonde quickly shut the door to her friend's room where Elena slept. As Stefan tried to get inside she stood in front of the door, blocking his entry. He attempted to push past her, but the blonde was strong willed. She kept the way blocked.

"Caroline," he said, "I need to see her."

"She is resting, she's not going to see anyone" Caroline said strongly, refusing to let him persuade her otherwise.

"Why did I receive this?" he asked, pulling a note out of his pocket and handing it to the blonde.

_She is mine._

_You shall not see her at the masquerade ball tomorrow night. Do not attempt to speak to her. Should these demands be ignored a disaster beyond your imagination will occur._

"There is no signature," Stefan sighed, "I tried to ask Damon, but he insists he has no idea who has done this."

"I'll talk to her, Stefan, but you have to leave."

"Why?" he asked.

"Because I don't want you barging in," the blonde said with a slight smile, but Stefan knew she was utterly serious.

Caroline watched him storm out of the house using his supernatural speed, sighing as she thought of how impatient the man could be. She walked into Elena's room, shutting the door behind her. The brunette didn't stir, at first glance it would've seemed she was sleeping, but the blonde knew better.

"Elena," she said, "I know you're awake."

She turned to look at the blonde, fear, admiration, love, and pure terror shone in her chocolate brown eyes. The thing Caroline saw most was pure terror, as the brunette was trembling.

The girl sat up to look at her friend, who had sat on the edge of the bed. Elena wanted nothing more than to disappear. She couldn't answer the questions she knew were going to come.

"Elena," Caroline started, "Where were you? We were worried sick."

"I was in the forest," Elena lied, something she had learned to easily do thanks to her Angel.

"You did not just walk through the forest and black out, Elena," Caroline observed, "What happened?"

"Nothing," Elena said quickly.

"Stefan was sent a letter," the blonde said, rapidly changing the subject. She handed the letter to Elena, who quickly read it.

The brunette's features turned to terror once again. Her breathing became very heavy as she cried, practically gasping for air. Elena kept shaking her head, thinking it couldn't be true. She kept thinking her Angel could never hurt Stefan, but she knew otherwise.

Elena had seen into Katherine's eyes, and she saw death. The trembling became worse as she gasped for air, trying to breathe. She felt Caroline's arms around her and completely sank into the embrace.

"It's all right, Elena," the blonde comforted, "It's okay."

"Stefan can't go to the ball," Elena managed to stutter during her sobs.

"What?" Caroline asked, confused, she thought Elena loved him.

"He can't, he'll be in danger there," the girl said softly, "He'll insist on seeing me and she'll-" Elena stopped, realizing her near confession.

"You know who sent this note?" the blonde asked, utterly confused, "Elena, who sent it."

"I can't."

"Elena-"

"I can't!" the girl shrieked, holding onto the blonde's arm as if it were her lifeline.

"It's all right," Caroline whispered comfortingly, running her fingers through the brunette's hair.

The girl huddled herself closer to her friend, grasping her arm and hoping the blonde's warmth would transfer to her. She closed her eyes, and soon her breathing found a slow rhythm as she fell into darkness.

_AN: Short, I know, but the next chapter will certainly be interesting._


	4. Masquerade

The girl walked through the ball, her crimson dress matching her mask perfectly. Only the dim light of candles illuminated the magnificent ballroom. Columns supported the circular dome roof, and the marble floor echoed the footsteps of those dancing. She watched the jestures juggle knives or even fire, and the dancers synchronized movements with their partners.

"A penny for your thoughts?" she heard him ask from behind her.

Elena rolled her eyes before turning to see Stefan, the man she had once been so certain she loved. He had always been so simple. There was a time when she thought he was what she needed. The girl forced herself to smile at him, not wanting to break his heart. His genuine grin planted regret in her mind. She had no idea how to tell him what she wanted, but then again, she herelf had no idea.

"I'm simply watching, Stefan," she said coldly, with no possible sign of affection in her words.

"I see," he replied, pain obvious through his words, "Would you like something to drink?"

"Yes," the girl answered quickly, wanting to get him as far away from her as quickly as she could.

"I'll be back," he nodded, walking away with his hands folded behind his back.

Elena sighed, wondering why she had forced herself to continue to lie to him. A timid part of her mind finally gathered the courage to decide she would tell Stefan how she truly felt, how she no longer loved him the way he loved her. She searched for him at the counter, seeing the bowl of fruit punch but Stefan was nowhere to be seen.

The girl's voice rose in her throat, about to call his name. She felt arms slowly slither around her waist, shivering at their chilled temperature. They pressed her against the body of the stranger standing behind her, but that was no stranger. She closed her eyes, leaning her head against the shoulder covered by the familiar black cloak.

She was pulled into a darker area of the ballroom, barely visible to others through the shadows. Angelic lips pressed against her neck, the kisses like whispers against her skin. Their bodies swayed to the music that streamed from the piano.

"My Angel," she breathed into the darkness.

"Ma cherie," the woman whispered into her ear, sending shudders down the girl's spine. "You look delicious."

Elena sank further into Katherine's embrace, feeling the warm breath of the dark temptress on her neck. The dark cloak wrapped around her, pulling her further into the darkness. It was futile to resist the temptation, futile to resist the seduction, futile to resist the urge.

Her Angel's chilled finger lightly traced her collarbone, slowly and teasingly moving towards her neck. The girl leant into the touch, desperate for more, as she felt Katherine's finger slither across her once drumming artery. She arched her back as the other woman's hand pressed tenderly on the pressure point in her back. A moan passed her lips as she rested her head on Katherine's shoulder.

"Katherine," she sighed, pulling away to be able to take in Katherine's beauty. The cloak covered her usual black attire, and the white mask still covered half her face. Elena knew the mask was there for good reason.

"I must get back to the party," the girl felt further need to explain as her Angel's red lips crawled slowly into a pout, "There are people expecting me."

The woman sighed, "One day I will finish what I have started."

Red creeped to Elena's cheeks, knowing exactly what the dark temptress had in mind. She opened her mouth to respond but her Angel had disappeared. A sigh of relief came from her throat as she walked back into the dim light to meet Stefan.

The girl knew what she had to do. She refused to continue lying to him, using him as an excuse for her behavior. She had to tell him, all of them. Something stopped her, a nagging in her chest, a pull that could not be ignored.

"I finally have your drink," Stefan said, handing her the small plastic cup. She allowed a small smile to show her appreciation.

As she brought the cup to her lips, Stefan put an arm around her shoulders. How she repulsed it. The girl wished she could have thrown him off of her, but the nagging in her chest forced her to remain still. After several swallows of the fruit punch she felt something stir. Elena was certain it was something in her stomach, but as she looked to the ceiling she saw the crystal chandelier tremble.

Soon everyone gathered in the ballroom had turned their heads up to stare. A clicking noise caught everyone's attention. They turned and saw the doors shut and lock along with all the windows. The candlelight began to flicker and for a brief moment the ballroom was consumed by darkness.

"Did I not instruct you to stay away from her?" a voice boomed from the shadows before the flicker of flames illuminated the room yet again.

Only after hearing the voice did the girl realize what was happeneing. As the realization dawned her eyes widened with fear.

"No," she whispered, "It's her. I know it's her."

"Who, Elena?" Stefan asked, having heard her whisper.

She backed herself into a corner, the very corner she had last been with her Angel. The voice that reverberated through the ballroom could only belong to one person: Katherine. Elena knew what had happened. She remembered the note sent to Stefan. It had clearly instructed to leave Elena alone, but they did not listen. Now the party guests also had to pay the price.

Some screamed. Some tried to open the doors or windows. Some stood huddled in the center of the room, praying to escape. Elena sat against the wall in the shadows, watching everything take place. She saw Stefan trying to calm people down, telling them it would be all right. The girl knew better, though she had never seen Katherine's true rage, she knew this was close.

The room shook again, causing more screams from party guests. Crystals from the chandelier jingled above their heads, candle flames flickered, and people panicked. Elena could only sit, huddled in the corner, to afraid to do anything to deny her Angel.

"Elena," Stefan said, kneeling down beside her, "What is going on? Do you know what is causing this?"

"I can't."

"Why? What is going-"

"Stefan, I can't!" Elena yelled. For a moment she stared into his eyes, and felt a piece of her heart torn away when he turned his back on her to walk over to the group of people huddled in the center of the room. She did not understand, how could he turn his back on her for complete strangers?

The room shook one final time; it shook harder than it had before. The quake sent everyone tumbling to the floor. The crystal chandelier broke from the ceiling before anyone had time to stand.

"No!" she heard Stefan yell before the crash came.

Crystal fragments flew around the room. They ended on the floor, injuring people, or protruding from the walls. In the center of the room lay a crumpled heap of what used to be something beautiful. The gold metal frame of the chandelier had been cracked, bent, and broken from the impact of the fall, but more had been destroyed than the chandelier.

Those who had huddled in the center of the room, those who had trembled in fear, had been crushed. Blood had stained the once white marble floor. She watched as Stefan stood, standing ten feet away from the wreckage. The girl saw the grief and pain in Stefan's eyes as he turned to look at her. For this, she stood. Elena walked to him, but made certain not to stand so close.

Elena stared at the bodies. She stared at the bones jutting from flesh and the eyes that held life that were now pale and empty. Putting a hand over her mouth covered her gasps and small sobs. They were people with families and others who loved them. It was cruel.

The flames suddenly snuffed out, and in the few seconds people had to begin their screams they returned, but there was something new in the room. Someone stood by the chandelier in front of the bodies, glaring at Stefan: Katherine. The girl's breath caught in her throat as she looked at the anger in her Angel's eyes. She wished she could calm the woman down, but she couldn't, not in a public place.

"You will curse the day you did not do all the Phantom asked of you!" Katherine yelled. The candles snuffed out and in a matter of seconds reappeared, but the dark temptress was gone.

She stared at the spot where Katherine stood. There was more to come, she was sure of it. Elena knew what she had to do, but something in her heart stopped her from doing so. Before the woman left Elena had seen something. She saw her glaring at Stefan, but just before she left Katherine sent a look Elena's way. A look that clearly stated:

_You're mine._


	5. I Am Your Angel

The girl stared at her own reflection, veins visible under her eyes. Opening her mouth she could see the fangs. She sighed, letting her fangs shrink back into the dark reaches of her mouth. Elena looked at her calendar and couldn't help another sigh.

It had been two months since the masquerade ball. There were still memorials for those who had been killed. Guilt clawed at her stomach. The girl knew she didn't feel remorse for the deceased, she felt guilty because she wished to see Katherine again.

She had started to date Stefan after two weeks without a sign from Katherine. There was something there, a new spark that rekindled. Or was it her desire for his attention and protection after the masquerade ball? He had ignored her, and that simply wouldn't do.

He had treated her with the attention she deserved and more, but it wasn't the attention she desperately desired. Elena stood once again and stared at her reflection. She looked exactly like Katherine, but there was something about the dark temptress that made the girl want to ran into her arms and flee at the same time.

Elena raised her fist and smashed the mirror. Jagged pieces of broken glass fell onto her hand, slashing it and even stabbing it, remaining in the skin. She panted, angry at herself for pretending to love Stefan, angry at Stefan for loving her, and angry at Katherine for not coming back.

Tears slipped down her face, pooling on her desk. With her free hand she began to pull pieces of glass out of her hand, watching each laceration slowly heal. Once she had extracted every last piece of glass her hand was perfectly normal, as if nothing had happened.

She looked up at her mirror, staring into the one shard of glass that hadn't fallen out of the frame. Her reflection stood clearly, her eyes red and puffy from her tears, but there was something else. Some_one_ else. The girl quickly turned to see a familiar black cloak and attire with a white mask on the side of her face: Katherine. Elena's mouth was agape, she wanted to speak, but her voice wouldn't comply.

"Why so silent mademoiselle?" Katherine smirked, "Did you think that I had left you for good?"

The girl's brown eyes looked quickly at the ground, ashamed to admit she had, but nodded anyway. She felt Katherine's cold fingers against her chin, gently pushing it up, forcing Elena to look at her. Brown eyes stared into brown, one pair filled with tears of joy, the other swimming with mischief and seduction.

"Have you missed me, mademoiselle?" the woman whispered, sending shivers down Elena's spine.

As the woman placed her hand against Elena's cheek she leant into the cold touch, relishing the moment. The girl nodded.

"I've missed you so much," Elena told her, letting her tears run onto Katherine's hand.

"Wandering child, so lost, so helpless, yearning for my guidance," the woman said gently, smiling at Elena.

"But whose guidance am I receiving?" Elena asked, sending an accusatory glance at Katherine, "Guidance from Angel or Phantom?"

"Have you forgotten your Angel?" Katherine asked, affection obvious in her dark brown eyes.

The girl's voice caught in her throat, as much as she attempted to speak it seemed impossible. What could she say? Her emotions were conflicted. She cared for Stefan, she did, but she loved Katherine. How much longer could she keep her secret from her Angel.

"Too long you've wandered in winter, far from my far reaching gaze," the dark temptress cooed as she brushed a strand of Elena's hair from her face.

"Wildly my mind beats against you," Elena whispered.

"You resist."

"Yet the soul obeys," they spoke in unison, with one voice.

Elena turned away from Katherine, her doubt controlling her actions. The girl was confused, and acted on what she knew was safe. Stefan was safe. She was about to speak when she felt the woman's body press against her back. Lips pressed against the young vampires neck.

The girl tried not to react, but it was futile. She moaned, resulting in Katherine's lips to smirk against her skin. Elena shuddered every time the woman's lips graced her neck. Their temperature caused her to shiver and sink into Katherine's embrace.

There was something about this woman that continued to draw the girl to her. It wasn't compulsion; it wasn't physically possible for that to happen. Elena lost her thoughts as Katherine continued to kiss her neck.

"Elena," a man's voice came from downstairs, "Are you ready? Dinner's in twenty minutes!"

The girl tensed as Katherine's kissing abruptly stopped. She turned to the woman and saw pure rage in her eyes. The masked seductress looked to Elena's shut bedroom door and back to the young vampire.

"Dinner?" she asked, a hint of jealousy in her voice.

"You were gone for so long," Elena tried to explain, "I didn't know if you would come back."

"You did not think I would return to you, my Angel?" Katherine asked, an irresistible pout on her lips.

Elena sighed as Katherine backed away from her. She watched the woman until she reached the window, her pout hand transformed into a smirk. Lust swam in her dark brown eyes and called to Elena. The girl could hear the music Katherine had played on the piano in her mind.

"I am your Angel. Come to me, Angel of music," Katherine sang lowly as she held out her hand to Elena.

Stefan had arrived and waited for Elena at the bottom of the stairs. His black suit was sleek and well trimmed. He had wanted to look his best for Elena. She was the love of his life; the girl he had met in school had meant so much to him. Stefan loved her, but recently he had doubted if she loved him back.

Two weeks before they had started dating again she had become distant, as if she wanted nothing more to do with him. Yet when he turned away from her at the masquerade ball, she had no idea how much it pained him. He knew he could not help her, and because of that he decided to help those he could, but the chandelier fell too quickly.

"Elena?" he called again before checking his watch, at the rate they were going they would certainly be late.

He walked to the bottom of the stairs, listening closely to Elena's room. What was that? It sounded like singing, but he knew Elena would never sing. The voice was Elena's, yet it was not. This voice was more alluring and compelling than the girl he had fallen in love with.

Stefan walked up the stairs to Elena's door, nervous. He decided not to barge inside, in case Elena was not decent.

"Elena?" he asked as he knocked on her door, "Are you ready, darling?"

He heard no answer from Elena, but he heard the voice. It had begun to sing again.

The girl stared at Katherine's hand. Where would Katherine bring her if she took her hand? What would the woman do? Would the masked seductress remove her mask again, revealing the horrors that were behind? Or would she show Elena compassion and kindness as the girl had seen so few times.

"Whose is that voice? Who is that in there?" Stefan muttered to himself as he stood outside Elena's door.

Stefan turned the door handle only to find it locked. He pushed against the door again, trying to open it but it would not budge.

"Elena! Answer me!"

The girl could no longer hear anything apart from Katherine's voice and the beautiful piano that was playing in her mind. She heard the masked seductress' sweet music and it pulled her into a wave of lust and desire, compelling her to the woman.

"I am your Angel of Music. Come to me Angel of Music," Katherine sang, knowing Elena would take her hand.

She was helpless to her desire. Elena could no longer deny the feelings she still felt for this amazing woman. Hesitating only for a moment, she delicately placed her hand in Katherine's.

Stefan burst through the door and could not believe his eyes. It was the same woman from the masquerade ball, the exact same woman who had stood in front of the wreckage and seemed proud. He knew she was the cause, but he did not know how.

Now she was holding Elena's hand in her own, smirking at him before turning her gaze back to Elena. He couldn't see the part of her face covered by the white mask, but he knew what was under there had to be pure evil.

"Elena!" he called to her, but frowned when she did not turn back to him, an ache in his heart.

She did not hear him. The sweet music called to her, and she was helpless to resist. The girl walked closer to Katherine until she felt the comfort of the dark cloak wrap around her shoulders and cool arms wrap around her waist. She stared straight into Katherine's eyes, and they vanished from the room, leaving Stefan alone.


End file.
